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Week 6 of the NFL season was a rollercoaster of unexpected events. From the clash of the dynamic dual-threat quarterbacks, Washington Commanders' rising star Jayden Daniels, and the seasoned Lamar Jackson of the Baltimore Ravens, to the showdown between the high-powered Detroit Lions going against the Dallas Cowboys. The New York Jets, having fired Robert Saleh just five weeks into the season, and the Cincinnati Bengals, fighting to keep their playoff hopes alive, added to the intrigue. Let’s get into my three NFL Week 6 Takeaways.
Should Baltimore Be The Favorite Out of the AFC?
The Baltimore Ravens continue to take care of business on the field, and they have everything clicking on all cylinders on both ends. The Ravens have now won four consecutive games, defeating the Buffalo Bills, Bengals, Cowboys, and now the Commanders, who have surprised everyone this year and sit atop the NFC East with Daniels getting some early MVP buzz. Lamar Jackson is the primary reason for the Ravens' success. He has been averaging his highest passer rating (107.3) and QBR rating (68.2) since his unanimous MVP season in 2019, but he’s not the only reason.
The addition of Derrick Henry in the offseason has been a significant success for Baltimore, which ranks first in rushing yards (211.2), first in yards per rush (6.1), and fourth in rushing touchdowns (1.6) per game as a team. Henry’s presence and productivity as an old-school power back have brought a whole new dimension to the Ravens’ offense that puts insurmountable pressure on opposing defenses to stop the run against a guy capable of rushing for 20+ yards in a play. While Henry’s addition has been uplifting, the sophomore leap of wide receiver Zay Flowers also needs to be mentioned.
Flowers was a productive rookie last season for the Ravens, but he continues picking off where he left off and then some. He already has 33 receptions on 48 targets for 401 yards through six games and a touchdown. Flowers may not be a receiver who consistently punches home in the endzone, but his ability to stretch plays after the catch (121 yards after catch this season) while being reliable when his team needs a first down is why Jackson and the organization trust him.
The second-year receiver out of Boston College had a slow start in the first few games of the year, averaging less than 100 receiving yards in each of the first four outings. Flowers had picked up his play the last two weeks in their wins against the Bengals and Commanders, averaging 121.5 receiving yards and over 14 yards per catch. His presence on the field opens up things for Isaiah Likely, Mark Andrews, and Rashad Bateman to find gaps in opposing defenses, which is why the Ravens rank second in scoring.
Their run defense is amongst the best in the NFL, allowing the fewest rushing yards (60.1) and yards per rush (3.1) per game, led by All-Pro defensive front lineman Justin Madubuike. However, they struggle to pass rushing and defending when the ball is airborne (31st), which they’ll need to clean up if they want to become a legit Super Bowl-level defense.
Detroit Lions Demolish Dallas
Fans of the Detroit Lions have much to be excited about after their crushing win over the Cowboys 47-9, their third consecutive victory. This is a big win for the Lions, who sit second in a tough NFC North division behind an undefeated Minnesota Vikings team and a young Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers team led by their young, promising franchise quarterbacks, Caleb Williams and Jordan Love, respectively.
The Lions improve to (4-1) with a high-powered offense that is so versatile in many ways with a dynamic run game and reliable receivers who can make big plays, whether it’s David Montgomery rushing for a touchdown or Jared Goff finding receivers Jameson Williams, Amon-Ra St. Brown or tight end Sam LaPorta in the endzone for an easy touchdown. The Cowboys were handed their worst loss of the season and in the Jerry Jones era, as their defense was already struggling, but when you add in a slew of injuries to crucial guys such as All-Pro linebacker Micah Parsons (high ankle sprain), cornerback Caelon Carson (shoulder) and linebacker Eric Kendricks (calf, shoulder). It’s not looking good for the Cowboys as they head into a bye week in Week 7.
Not much needs to be said about this game, as the Lions dismantled and broke the spirits of the Cowboys fans and players. Everything went right for the Lions except for a gruesome leg injury to their star defensive pass rusher, Aidan Hutchinson. He has broken his tibia and fibula and had successful surgery on it. Hutchinson is expected to miss the remainder of the season, which is a massive defensive loss for the Lions pass rush.
Let’s wish him a speedy recovery.
Caleb Williams Showing Why He’s No.1
Harry Murphy/Getty Images
The Bears highly touted No.1 pick came in with a lot of fanfare as the franchise savior for an organization that chose him to build their foundation going forward over Justin Fields. Like most rookies at the NFL level, especially quarterback, the game is much faster than the college game. As a quarterback, you have to process reads faster against the best defenders in the world and be able to read and call out coverages while also being the team's vocal leader.
You’re the extension of the head coach and where everything starts. Williams started the season erratically, throwing for just three touchdowns through his first three games with a QBR rating of below 40. However, something began to click in Week 4 against the Carolina Panthers, where he had a QBR rating of over 81 while throwing for over 300 yards and two touchdowns.
He only topped it the following week against the Jacksonville Jaguars with a career-high four passing touchdowns with a 79% completion rating and a QBR rating of over 88. Williams has been quicker, sharper, and more confident in his throws in the last two games, which has been a massive improvement compared to the start of the year. His ball placement on his passes and all-around ability, from his pocket patience to displaying his mobility in the open field when nothing was available, was never more evident than you’ll see here against the Jaguars.
The Bears are (4-2) in a loaded NFC North division that includes the Vikings, Packers, and Lions. Winning the division will be no easy task, but if Williams continues to build on his last two outings, they can be vying for a playoff spot.
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